I'll always have insomnia because of you
by I need more ANGST
Summary: You know what Kotori? I think I will never get better soon, you know why? Because as long as my little crush on you has not faded, and I doubt that it'll ever fade, I'll always have insomnia because of you. (Rated K for unrequited love.../.\)


**A.N.: Erm...hey guys...this is my first Love Live fic...and also...my very FIRST FIC...! I'm a newbie here...so if there's anything that I wrote is confusing or has grammar errors (I have gone through this story and make correction several times...but I bet there's still many left unnoticed...) or even worse, bored to death...please do forgive my inexperienced! Anyway, I still hope that you guys will enjoy my fic...so, here you go!**

"Okay, time's up. Let's call it a day. Good job everyone." Umi announced. Every Muse member groaned in relief that they were finally free from the hell-like lessons, though Eli and Nozomi were not as unladylike as the others were.

"Hey Kayo-chin, do you want to try out the new restaurant I mentioned before?" asked Rin to her best friend. "O-okay, as long as they served rice." Hanayo's grayish-brown orbs were sparkling when the word "rice" was mentioned.

"How about you guys nyaa?" "I-It's not like I want to go with you guys to begin with, but since you already asked, I guess I will tag along..." said the red-headed first year while twirling her hair with her index finger.

"Maki-chan isn't being honest again nyaa~" "!" Maki's face was now bright red from embarrassment. Before she could retort back, a certain blonde cut in, "I think I will come along too since I have done with my student council's paperwork...I think we deserve a reward for all the hard work we have done, right Nozomi?" "Fu fu, Elichi always right~" "What does that suppose to mean!?" Eli felt her blood rushed to her head within seconds. "Hmm...I wonder~" Nozomi grinned at the sight of her flustered Elichi.

"Nico Nico Nii will also come along because as an idol she needs to always replenish the nutrients lost to keep up her appearance..." Everyone in Muse sweat-dropped at that.

"Kotori-chan! Let's go with everyone okay?" Honoka was always so energetic for anything. "I'm okay with it as long as you are going," Kotori smiled at the ginger-haired girl lovingly, Honoka beamed at that reply.

"Erm...sorry guys...I still have to stay for my archery practice. So have fun without me..." Everyone turned their attentions towards a blunette. "Ehh! Umi-chan! It's almost evening and you still want to stay for more practice!?" exclaimed Honoka, not liking the idea of leaving her friend behind while she herself and the others went on and enjoyed themselves.

"Unfortunately, yes, I have to...I promised I'll come along next time, okay? And you know I hate skipping my practice, right?" Umi had known Honoka well enough to shot down the idea without her even suggesting. Honoka pouted, she would never win an argument with Umi with how thick-headed she could be sometimes, and this was one of that time.

"Fine...I guess we will go there together next time," said Honoka unwillingly. "Okay, next time it is then. I have to take my leave now. So, goodbye guys." "Bye Umi-chan! Good luck in your archery!" "Okay, thanks..."

All of the Muse members left the school ground and went to try out the new restaurant that Rin had mentioned just now, all except one certain blunette. After Umi collected all of her belongings, she headed towards the dojo room to start her archery practice.

When she was half-way to her destination, suddenly she felt her world spun around her and stumbled a bit. Thank god she had recovered fast enough to avoid getting injured from scraping her head. Because if she didn't catch her fall in time, there certainly will be a bump on her head the next morning and she was sure that she would have a lot of explanation to do to her meddlesome childhood friends.

 _Oh my, I must be much more exhausted than I thought...but my archery competition is due soon so I can't skip my practice...I guess I will have to bear with this dizziness a bit longer huh...then I can take a rest once I reach home..._

With that in mind, Umi fought off the dizziness that had been brought to her so suddenly and gone to the dojo room.

"Thanks for your guidance, Umi-sempai. Have a nice day." said one of her junior with a blush. "You are welcome, Kanazaki-san and have a nice day to you too. Good work everyone and please take care of yourself on your way home."

As always, Umi stayed a bit longer than the rest of the club members to clean up the dojo room. Maybe it was due to the fact that her family owned a dojo, which caused her to take it as her responsibility to keep the school's dojo room in order.

In the past two hours of practising archery, her situation wasn't getting any better at all. Her dizziness sometimes struck her at an inappropriate time and caused her shooting to be off the mark. To make it worse, she also needed to deal with a headache that set in at a wrong timing. This caused Umi to earn a few concerned glances from her juniors, but she just reassured them with a small smile and telling them she was just a bit under pressure.

She wasn't trying to make an excuse for her poor performance, but in fact, it was partially the truth. There would be an upcoming test soon and lately, she spent most of her night time to study, sometimes she even pulled an all-nighter to revise her homework and notes. Besides, she also had to cope with the archery contest that was due to next month and not to mention that the Love Live that would be held at the end of the mid-year. The stress that was built up from all of these events was finally catching up with her, and hence, she was now facing difficulties in coping with her academy and club activities.

Besides all of these, there was another reason, and probably the main reason, which led her to this kind of situation. _Kotori._ Umi had been in love with her childhood friend for a long while now, but unfortunately, her crush had also set her eyes on a certain ginger-haired girl. And as if the God wanted to make Umi's life became more miserable, Kotori's love for Honoka had been reciprocated.

 _Oh God, why You have to be so cruel? Is this my punishment for being overly strict and my hesitancy in telling her my feelings? I can't help myself for being strict though, I was taught to be perfect and any child who under the constant influence of my father's strict guidance in being perfect would most likely to grow up being a strict person too._

 _As for holding back my feelings for her, it was because I don't have the courage to risk our friendship. Once I confessed my feelings to her, our relationship would certainly have a dramatic change, either one-step-up into a more intimate relationship or downgraded and become an acquaintance or even worse._

 _Well, now I guess I don't need to worry about that anymore...I can't possibly beat Honoka in taking Kotori's heart...even if I do have the chance in winning over Kotori's heart, but that would also mean that Honoka would be the one ended up heart broken...even though she is my rival, but that doesn't change the fact she is my childhood best friend too...if it's not because of Honoka, I would never have met Kotori in the first place...so if someone have to withdraw from this love triangle, that person should be me..._

 _I guess that settles then...I'll shut down my feelings for certain little cute birdie and wish the couple a happy ever after...Kotori, I'm not sure if I'll ever move on from this little crush of mine but as long as you are happy with Honoka, I believe that being a best friend for you is already enough for me..._

After Umi reached home and had her dinner with her family, she went to her study room to work on the lyrics for the Muse's new song. She took some medicine to relieve her headache and it seems that the medicine had started to kick in. Her head was still throbbing in pain but at least it was still endurable.

Without her headache being a huge bother, she began to jot down some phrase which was suitable for the theme of their new song, which was about love. Although Umi was known for not good in handling romantic stuff, but surprisingly the lyrics she composed for a love song was always full of fluffiness and sweetness. But today, she decided to have a go with a bittersweet love song to pour out her unbearable emotions, describing her current state, how she was distressed for not being able to love the one she loved, and how she willing to give up chasing after her crush and wish her found happiness with her one true love. Before she even realised it, she had spent the whole night thinking of some beautiful phrases for the lyrics and eventually done writing the lyrics.

Chirp chirp chirp... "Ugh..." Umi struggled a while to stay in bed before open her sleepy eyes slowly. Before she could even fully awake, her headache came back full force. Umi grabbed her temple, tried to ease some of the pain but failed.

 _I guess that's what I get for neglecting my sleep again._

Last night, she only got less than three hours sleep due to her utter concentration in writing the song. Umi got out of her bed to get ready for school instead of considering in taking a sick day off from school.

 _I think someday I would probably get myself killed by my own stupid pride._ She wanted to reach her parents', teachers' and even fellow students' expectancy, therefore, she kept on pushing herself harder and somehow she managed to pull through it, but not this time.

The route she always took to go to school seemed longer than usual and her mind was very hazy, she couldn't even manage to focus on the road without stopped for a while to get back her bearing.

"Umi-chaannnn~" _Oh no, it's Honoka and Kotori! I'll have to pretend that nothing's wrong and fast._ Umi took a deep breath to clear her mind a bit, and it did, thankfully.

"Good morning Kotori-chan, Honoka-chan." Umi turned and greeted her childhood friends. "Good morning Umi-chan!" The rest of the journey towards school was a blur to Umi since her head was still pounding from a headache. Although she tried her hardest to catch up with her friends' conversation, but not a moment later, she gave up on that attempt and chose to only answer their questions when necessary.

Despite being so out of state, her two childhood best friends surprisingly didn't even find out she had been acting strange lately. _Maybe my pretending skill has been improved? Or do they just too invested with each other to acknowledge my odd behaviour?_ When Umi reached to that thought, her heart ached as if it was being stabbed by a knife.

"...-san" _Mmm...what was that noise...?_ "...da-san" _Mmm...why is my body shaking?_ "Umi-chan...! Wake up...!" "Sonoda-san!" Umi jolted in her seat from the sudden calling of her name. When her groggy eyes came into focus, she realised that she had fallen asleep in class and apparently she had been found out.

Beside of her desk, stood the teacher who was calling for her just now, and she was obviously not liking the idea of Umi taking a nap during her class. Umi immediately stood up and apologised to the teacher.

Despite being upset that one of her students slept in her class, but this was Umi, the most diligent student in this class who had a very good discipline. So it was unlikely for Umi to doze off in class. "Sonoda-san, are you alright? Do you need to visit the infirmary?" the teacher asked worriedly.

Umi considered the offer. _My head is still pounding...HARD...I'm definitely can't concentrate in the class if this goes on..._ "Ugh...I think I will go to the infirmary for a while if that's okay, sensei." "Okay, go get some rest but please do take a better care of yourself next time, understand?" The teacher said sternly, clearly showed that she would not accept a "no" as an answer.

"Yes, sensei..." Umi looked down at her desk shamefully, not dared to look into the teacher's eyes. "Good, can you go by yourself?" "Ye..." "I will go with her, sensei" Kotori cut her off before she can finish her reply. _H-huh!? Oh my God...this can't be happening...I should have just stayed in the classroom after all..._ "Okay Minami-san. Students now back to class!"

After exited their classroom, both of the childhood best friends walked in silence towards the infirmary. _Gosh, this is awkward...I guess I should have just skipped today's lesson..._

"Umi-chan..." Kotori's calling for her shook her out of her train of thought. "Y-yes Kotori?" "Umi-chan, we are best friends aren't we?" Kotori's eyes filled with sadness. _Why is that? Why she looks so sad?_

"Of course, Kotori. What makes you doubt that?" Umi said firmly even though she felt a pang through her heart. _Yea...only best friend...nothing more..._

"If so, do you promise that you will share your problems with me whenever you faced one?" "...Yes, I will..." _I guess..._

"Then, can you let me know what's bothering you right now?" _W-wh-what!? I thought she didn't notice!? I guess I was wrong huh...now what?_

"I d-don't..." Umi stopped herself from continuing her attempt to lie when she saw Kotori's downcast eyes. _Ugh...that's not fair Kotori...how do you expect me to share my problem with you when you are mainly the cause of it?_

"Alright...lately I've been having trouble sleeping...maybe it's because all of the events are coming soon...and I've been under a lot of pressure because of it...so maybe that's what causing me insomnia." _Oh, that's a good one. It's not a lie, just not the whole truth._

Kotori suddenly hugged Umi. _W-w-what the...!_ "Oh Umi-chan, it's must be a hard on you to take on so many roles at once..." _Oh...I thought she found out I was "lying"..._ Umi gulped to calm her nerve before replied. "N-nah, i-it's okay...I'll manage it. So you don't need to worry about me, okay?" Umi tried to put on her best smile to reassure her best friend, and it did.

Kotori's eyes were now sparkling now as in believing that was the only reason that made Umi behaved oddly. "Get better soon, okay, Umi-chan?" "Okay, you worrywart~" Umi teased a bit. "Umi-chan! You are a meanie..." Kotori pouted because of Umi made fun of her even though she had been worried sick for her best friend.

"Hahaha sorry Kotori, I can't help myself...you are fun to tease with though." _And not to mention, you are very cute when you are pouting too..._

"Hmph..." "Hehe...I'm sorry, okay? Let's get going...I feel like I might collapse at any moment now if we continued to stand here instead of going to the infirmary." "Hmph...Fine, I'll let you off the hook just this once~" Kotori playfully stuck out her tongue. Umi laughed at the sight.

Kotori grabbed Umi's hand out of the blue and led her towards the infirmary. Umi was shocked from the gesture but managed to compose herself. Kotori was saying something to her, but all she could hear was rumbling. She stared at the taupe-haired girl's back longingly, admiring her beauty when the sun shone on her, making her all the more beautiful than before.

 _You know what Kotori? I think I will never get better soon, you know why? Because as long as my little crush on you has not faded, and I doubt that it'll ever fade, I'll always have insomnia because of you._ Umi smiled bitterly as she looked at Kotori's back.

Unbeknown to the grayish-haired girl, there was a lone tear dripped down the cheek of her best friend, but not a moment after, was wiped off with the back of a hand, as if to conceal its once existence.

 _-THE END-_

 **A.N.: O-okay...I know that's not a good ending...but...okay, I'm sorry...I don't have a good reason for explaining why did I give Umi a BAD END...hope you guys don't mind** **:P See you next time! Maybe...**


End file.
